1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and devices for the interconnection of wires to receptacles, switches or other such termination devices within junction boxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of the wire connection system and the manner in which it connects to wires and termination devices within the confines of a junction box.
2. Prior Art Description
Most building codes require that all connections between wires, switches, receptacles and/or any other hardwired component be contained within some form of fire retardant junction box. Traditionally, such junction boxes are made of metal or polyvinylchloride (PVC). Such junction boxes contain various punch-out structures that enable a variable number of wires to be led into the junction box. During rough construction, the junction boxes are mounted within various walls of the building. The wires are then run between the junction boxes. At this point, most building codes require that the rough wiring be inspected. The rough wiring inspection checks to see that the rough wiring is properly anchored in the walls, the junction boxes are properly positioned, only ground wires interconnect, and that no one junction box receives too many wires.
After the rough wiring is inspected, the walls of the building are typically finished with drywall. Various termination devices, such as receptacles, switches, lighting fixtures and the like are then connected to the wires within the junction boxes. This work is typically done by an electrician.
For low-set junction boxes, an electrician typically must sit or kneel in front of the junction box in order to reach the short wires extending through the junction box. Likewise, for high-set junction boxes, an electrician must often stand upon a ladder or stool to reach the wires extending through the junction box. A typical building can contain scores of low-set and high-set junction boxes. As such, an electrician must expend a lot of labor repeatedly kneeling to reach low-set junction boxes and climbing to reach high-set junction boxes. After the various termination devices are connected to the wires within the junction boxes, a final inspection is conducted to ensure that the various termination devices are properly installed and function as designed.
Depending upon the circuit design being installed by an electrician, it is common for various wires to be directly interconnected within a junction box. Such wire-to-wire connections are traditionally made using wire nuts. To make such a connection, wires are twisted together in front of a junction box. The twisted wires are capped with a wire nut. The wire nut and the wires are then bent back into the confines of the junction box. However, as the wires are manipulated back into the junction box, sometimes the wires separate under the wire nut and the connection fails. An electrician must then inspect all the connections in the circuit to discover where the break has occurred.
To complicate matters, wire connections often cannot be readily observed within the confines of a junction box. Wires connected to a receptacle or switch are blocked from view behind the receptacle or switch. Likewise, wires connected together with a wire nut behind a switch or receptacle are also blocked from view. As such, a separated connection is often impossible to determine by visually inspecting the junction boxes. Rather, the only way to fix the problem is to open and remove the contents of all of the junction boxes in the failed circuit until the faulty connection is identified.
Over the years, many devices have been invented in an attempt to simplify the wiring of difficult types of electrical termination devices. However, these prior art devices are typically application specific, and can only be used as either a switch box or as a receptacle box. Prior art devices that show simplified receptacle boxes are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,651 to Werner, entitled Minimum Wire Box And Device Adapters; U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,443 to Figart, entitled Power Distribution System and U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,418 to Hoag, entitled Laminated Junction Box Module And Laminated Plug-In Accessory Modules Selectively Usable Therein. Such prior art devices do not require wire nuts to connect wires. However, special outlet terminals must be used making the overall systems much more expensive than traditional junction box systems.
Examples of prior art junction boxes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,162 to Nudelmont, entitled Current Distributor; U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,425 to Cade, entitled Electrical Connector Apparatus; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,612 to Patton, entitled Electrical Junction Means. Each of these junction boxes eliminates the need for wire nuts. However, these junction boxes contain custom manufactured internal components. Thus, the junction boxes are more complex to use and more costly than traditional junction boxes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,012 to Opel, entitled Electrical Wire Box Apparatus also discloses a junction box construction that eliminates the need for wire nuts. However, in the Opel patent, as with all the other referenced prior art patents, the wire terminations are at the rear of the junction box and are hidden from view. As such, the number of wires entering the box, the quality of the connections, and the paths of interconnections cannot be visually observed without disassembly and removal of the components within the junction box.
A need therefore exists for a system and method of connecting wires to receptacles, switches and other termination devices within a junction box, yet enables the wires and terminations within the junction box to be readily observed within a fully assembled application. A need also exists for a system and method for connecting wires in a junction box that reduces the need for an electrician to bend and climb during the installation process. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.